


Shelter

by wrongdirection



Category: Naruto
Genre: Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:54:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28425822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wrongdirection/pseuds/wrongdirection
Summary: Sickness strikes at the wrong time, and Itachi can't tell whether he should be more grateful or mortified by his bruising partner's gentle aid.--either way, he is intrigued.
Relationships: Hoshigaki Kisame/Uchiha Itachi
Comments: 2
Kudos: 56





	Shelter

Wandering through the forest in a snowstorm wasn't preferable, but despite this, Itachi remained optimistic about the mission's outlook.

Even as cold wind assaulted him through inadequate layers of Akatsuki robes, or as knee high snow crept through the shoes' thin cloth.

The soles of his feet had gone numb an hour prior, but he kept the same pace. The road to this location was long and obscure, and even with his sharingan, he sensed nothing notable in the endless white landscape.  
With, of course, the exception of snow.

His weary eyes rested on the large silhouette of his partner who seemed completely unaffected by the lashing waves of frozen wind. He navigated the terrain as easily as water. If his posture were any indication, the shark seemed even to be taking it easy.  
The large feet stopped in their tracks.  
"It's getting late." he stated, peering out into the distance. "we should find shelter,"  
He met Kisame and shook his head in disagreement.  
"No." he said firmly  
"we must carry on"  
There was no argument, only a long steady glance, then an accompanying sigh.  
His head ached, and they would need to rest soon to make plans for the day ahead. If only his mind weren't so set. Kisame was saying something again, but it sounded like his voice was in a vaccum. Then the distant sounds stopped, and everything faded to blackness.

The rest of the night he remembered in fragments. The feeling of being hoisted up, the solid grip that held him, and throughout, more talking that he could not make out. At times the tone of his partner was soft, and even gentle.  
He wasn't sure if he hadn't dreamt it.  
An undetermined amount of time later, he began to stir. The first impulse was to wipe his eyes. When the gesture smudged the back of his hand with half dry blood, he remembered flashes of the last night. He needed to be more careful. Heated coals from a smouldering fire shed dim light on their surroundings. They were insulated by the solid walls of a cave. They must've covered a long distance, because there were scarcely any mountains before.

As he walked out to gather more kindling he noticed the dim illumination of his partner. Kisame rested with Samehada against the other side of the wall. He looked cold and unfased as the stone wall itself, and with the fire so far away, Itachi wondered again how he didn't seem to mind the cold.

On the outside, the terrain was significantly dryer than before. Parts of the ground were even visible with sprigs of grass, and the sunlight was so warm that it seemed to bore gentle holes into his back . Most of the kindling was wet, leaving him to wander until he found a tree hollow that had been safe from the weather. There he saw some small mammal in hibernation with its young. He washed his face with water from a half melted stream, then returned with the kindling.

He intended to ask about last night, but he felt himself stalling on the fire. His ease with fire was always appreciated in his nights in the ANBU. Glancing across the generous flame, he felt vague guilt at the idea that the other had carried him at least 50 miles. It took a few moments to sink in before he noted that he was looking at Kisame's bare chest. He blinked a few times before quickly averting his eyes.  
Apparently not quickly enough for it to go unnoticed though, judging by the amused chuckle it induced.  
"Ah, Itachi san. You're back."  
The shark drawled sleepily

"You were cold, and those eyes of yours looked pretty scary. I tried to take your advice, but you were- I mean it was, well..." he trailed off, "anyways, we still have 5 miles to go."

"I see."

Without thinking, he found himself staring at Kisame's chest again. He could feel the entire uchiha bloodline discouraging it, but he had to ask,  
"What happened to your cloak?"

"You should know," Kisame snorted,

Itachi gave him an uncertain look, before realizing that he was wearing both of them. The second of which, was far too large and swallowed his slender medium frame.

"oh." he said reflectively. "Thank you." A bit of heat fluttered to his cheeks, but the bleak lighting probably obscured it.

The remaining embers crackled in search for acknowledgment, before eventually obscuring into the dark.  
The pair took this as a sign to move on.

Their days together were quiet.

At the head of the cave, Itachi removed the baggy cloak and handed it back to it's owner. He smiled with frightening teeth, and pretended not to notice as haunting eyes watched him redress. As they walked through a pathway of red maples, neither could deny feeling strangely secure.


End file.
